


it's a brand new day (i know i'll be okay)

by alesford



Series: our family of choice [17]
Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, F/F, Families of Choice, Family Fluff, Family Shenanigans, Fluff, Original Character(s), Wynaught Brotp
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-08
Updated: 2018-08-08
Packaged: 2019-06-23 18:51:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15612681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alesford/pseuds/alesford
Summary: “You know that you need to stop being dumb and go help your girlfriend, right?”Nicole shakes her head and explains, “She got mad when I didn’t cut the crust off the sandwiches the‘right way’. I’ve been instructed to‘keep the peace’until everything is ready and the girls are here."Wynonna snorts. “Yeah. She’s in full panic mom mode.”“This is important to her, Wynonna,” Nicole chides, feeling protective even though she knows it was said in jest.ORIt's a found family picnic/party because an occasion such as this is worthy of celebration.





	it's a brand new day (i know i'll be okay)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sensitive_pigeon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sensitive_pigeon/gifts).



> For pidge.
> 
> Remember the magic, pigeon. We saw magic. Fandom is family. Breathe.
> 
>  
> 
> This AU is officially canon divergent due to season three and all of its curveballs already pitched. I think it's clear to say that I won't be mentioning all of the events of the season, but I will reference some of them here and there.

**it's a brand new day (i know i'll be okay)**

_it's a brand new day_  
_the sun is shinning_  
_it's a brand new day_  
_for the first time_  
_in such a long long time_  
_i know_  
_i'll be okay_  
_\- 'brand new day' by joshua radin_

 

 **_august.  
_ ** **_2026._ **

 

Nicole lifts the can of Wild Rose Gose to her lips only to have it snatched from her hand before she can take a sip. She doesn’t even have to look away from Waverly’s obsessive organizing of the picnic table to know what asshole would even consider stealing her beer.

“Seriously, Wynonna?” she gripes, finally looking away from her girlfriend just in time to watch Wynonna pull a face as soon as the tart and salty beer hits her tongue.

“Jesus, Haught. They call this _craft_ beer? More like _crap_ beer, if you ask me.”

Nicole doesn’t have to wrench the can from Wynonna’s grasp; her best friend willingly holds it towards her at an arm’s length.

“Yeah, well, I didn’t ask you, did I?”

She takes a sip, and it’s refreshing and crisp with citrus notes and a subtle floral note to it with that distinct, briny finish. She specifically bought this because she knows nobody else enjoys Gose beers like she does and therefore will help themselves to Wynonna’s Molson or the Moosehead that Nicole picked up for the boys.

Waverly had instated a strict _no hard liquor at the family picnic_ rule.

Of course, then Nicole notices the Molson in the hand that hadn’t been holding her beer hostage, and she glares at Wynonna. “Why’d you steal my beer if you already have your own? You don’t even like Gose!”

Wynonna takes a healthy gulp of beer before wagging a finger at Nicole. “Because _that_ face is always worth it. You get pissed every time.”

And she’s right; Nicole always lets Wynonna bait her when it comes to beer-stealing shenanigans. She’s right and so Nicole shakes her head, hiding her smile behind the rim of her can. Because inasmuch as Wynonna can be a jackass, she’s also family. And family means nobody gets left behind.

  
(The girls had a Disney movie marathon two nights ago and _Lilo and Stitch_ embedded itself into her brain. Weird little alien misfits finding a home and a family with two sisters. Finding a place where they belong when they never have really had a place before.

Sounds familiar, eh?)

  
“Waves really went all out, didn’t she?” Wynonna hums, hopping up onto the bare picnic table on which Nicole is already perched.

“She was up all night making sandwiches. She really wants this to be perfect for Belle.”

Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Wynonna nod. “Kid’s lucky. Getting two parents who love her like you do.”

“Alice is pretty damn lucky, too, you know. I know that none of us really had stellar examples of parenting, but I think we turned out pretty well, right? I mean, we haven’t managed to screw up our kids.”

“Yet, anyways,” Wynonna murmurs with a shrug.

The two of them sit side by side, watching as Waverly directs Jeremy with setting up chairs around the long folding table that she instructed Dolls to bring. She’s wrangled Xavier into helping her unfold a disposable tablecloth to go over it, mindful not to let it touch the ground still wet from the previous night’s downpour.

“I know Waverly wants Belle to know that she’s loved and wanted. It’s all either of us have ever really wanted for her.”

“It’s been what, like three years?”

Nicole nods. “Three years in November.” She bites at her lower lip and her shoulders slouch just enough for an observant best friend to notice. “Sometimes I still see that terrified little girl, though. Sometimes she pulls at Belle’s heart and Waverly and I can _see_ her. That girl who was so, so lost, Wynonna.”

Wynonna knocks her shoulder against Nicole’s before dropping her head onto the redhead’s shoulder. “You’re a good mom, Nicole. A damn good mom. You know as well as I do that it isn’t easy to get over some demons.”

“I know. I _know_ that.”

Her petulant tone earns her a sharp jab in her side, though Wynonna doesn’t make any move to shift away. It’s a rare moment, Nicole knows, when they show each other physical affection. It isn’t how they communicate; normally, it’s witty barbs and mocking jokes and clever sarcasm. Nicole had picked up on it quickly, and she adjusted her behavior. Because whereas one Earp is _very_ physically affectionate, the other can be as prickly as a porcupine.

  
So this? Leaning on each other, metaphorically and literally? It’s a rare moment.

Wynonna pokes at her again and Nicole is ready to pull away, rare moment be damned.

“You know that you need to stop being a dumbass and go help your girlfriend, right?”

Nicole shakes her head and explains, “She got mad when I didn’t cut the crust off the sandwiches the ‘right way’. I’ve been instructed to _‘keep the peace’_ until everything is ready and the girls are here."

Wynonna snorts. “Yeah. She’s in full panic mom mode.”

“This is important to her, Wynonna,” Nicole chides, feeling protective even though she knows it was said in jest. “Anyways, when is Doc supposed to get here with the kids?”

Wynonna looks at her wrist. The one without a watch. Not that she owns a watch. “Soon-ish?” she offers.

In this case, soon-ish actually means now because they see Doc’s new Camaro pull into a parking spot along the street. Both Wynonna and Nicole watch from a distance as Doc makes sure that both Belle and Alice slide out of the backseat on the side not facing oncoming traffic.

“I think he’s even more protective than me, and I’m the crazy chick with the gun,” Wynonna murmurs, lifting her head from Nicole’s shoulder and sitting upright again. Her words are soft and full of awe — like she still can’t quite believe that she has _this_ . Her daughter and Doc and her sister and Haught and Dolls and Jeremy. That this family is _hers_.

Nicole knows how she feels, and she lets her face break out into a grin as Belle chases after her cousin, both of them making a beeline to their moms.

“Hey, monkey,” she says with a smile as Belle flops onto the bench next to her mom’s legs. “Doc hype you up on sugar this morning?”

“I did no such thing, Miss Haught.” Doc has his hat in his hand as he ambles toward them at a pace more gentleman-like. “They were each restricted to two doughnuts and one glass of chocolate milk a piece.”

“Doc,” Nicole deadpans. “That’s a lot of sugar.”

He frowns, returning his hat to his head. “Well, Wynonna eats—”

“Wynonna is the heir and she needs lots of energy and therefore gets to eat as many doughnuts as she wants!” said heir quickly interrupts, as if Nicole _hasn’t_ seen her demolish an entire box on her own _and_ a bag of timbits.

Nicole turns her head to stare at Wynonna with an _‘uh-huh’_ on her lips.

“Nuh-uh, Haughtstuff. You’re keeping the peace, remember?”

“Why is Aunt Nicole keeping the peace if you’re the one that has Peacemaker?” Alice asks, climbing onto the bench in order to sit on the tabletop like her mother.

Before Wynonna can answer with a smartass remark, Nicole chimes, “Your mama is good at shooting things with that gun of hers, but I’m the sheriff, and it’s my job to try to do things without having to use any guns at all.”

“Goody two-shoes,” Wynonna mutters under her breath. Nicole plants her hand on Wynonna’s back and gives her a hard shove until she’s stumbling off the picnic table and into Doc’s arms. Nicole gets the bird in return, and both of their girls start into a fit of giggles.

“Alice, Belle,” she says seriously, looking each of them in the eyes until they stop laughing and nod with matching gravity. “That gesture is very rude and you shouldn’t use it until you’re adults and can understand what it means. That said, remember to do as I say, not as I do.”

Nicole lifts both hands at Wynonna, middle fingers raised.

“Nicole Rayleigh Haught!” Waverly shouts.

“You’re in trouble now,” Alice says with a low whistle.

Belle’s face scrunches and she draws her lips into an ‘O’ and tries to mimic the whistle. Alice grins. “I’ll teach you how to whistle later. Principal Arbour _hates_ it.”

Wynonna beams at her daughter with pride in her eyes as Doc laughs and settles an arm around her shoulders. “Wynonna, our daughter may have the last name Holliday, but she is surely, without a doubt, an Earp.”

Waverly is upon them now with her hands on her hips and a scowl on her face. “Aren’t you supposed to be keeping the peace?” she asks.

“Wynonna started it.”

“No, I didn’t.”

Hazel eyes bounce back and forth between the two women as they devolve into a childish bickering that is half for shits and giggles and half serious, too. “Right, well, if you all are done being less mature than Alice and Belle, I think it’s time we get this party started.”

Both of the girls perk up at the mention of a party. “I thought this was just a family picnic,” Alice says, finally catching sight of the balloons that Jeremy and Dolls are tying to the backs of the folding chairs.

“It’s a picnic and a party. Now, c’mon. There’s cake for later.”

Cake is the magic word and Wynonna, Alice, and Belle take off towards the table. Wynonna scoops Belle off her feet and into her arms, carrying her the rest of the way.

“That’s my Wynonna,” Doc mumbles softly. He gives Nicole and Waverly a gentle smile and nod before following in the wake of his partner and the girls.

Nicole slides an arm around her girlfriend’s waist. Waverly leans into the touch, wrapping her own arms around Nicole’s torso.

“Nicole, should we have told her beforehand? I mean, what if she doesn’t like the cake or the picnic or the party? It’s a big surprise for an eight-year-old.”

“Waves, she’ll be so excited. We’re here to celebrate and be with family, and that’s all we’ve ever wanted to give her. Love and family and security.”

“And maltesers.”

“And maltesers,” Nicole reaffirms.

They watch as Jeremy distracts Alice and Belle from going straight to the cake with some sort of card trick that appears to be going horribly wrong. Fifty-two pickup and the girls are on their knees in the grass, helping him pick up the playing cards.

Maybe _horribly wrong_ was purposeful because it gives them enough time to walk to the picnic table with its assortment of sandwiches and sides and, of course, the cake still tucked away inside its cardboard box.

Nicole uses her sheriff’s voice to get everybody’s attention. “Hey, guys, if we can settle down and have a seat at the table, Waves and I need to share something with you all.”

Everybody finds a chair at the folding table, leaving two empty near the end of the table. Nicole fetches the cake, lifting it from the box with the utmost care. Waverly moves to stand just behind Belle, helping Nicole set the decorated cake on the table in front of their little girl.

Belle’s eyes grow wide. “It has my name on it. Belle… Belle Haught?” She twists in her seat to look up at her moms.

“The adoption was finalized this week,” Waverly announces, although her eyes lock with Belle’s and she can’t help the smile or the tears. Nicole places a grounding hand at the small of her back and the other rests on the back of Belle’s chair. The three of them are cocooned in their own bubble of elation, vaguely aware of their friends and family clapping and cheering and congratulating them on making it official.

  
(They knew, of course. All of the adults. Nicole and Waverly have both been hot messes during the entire process, each of them losing their shit at least once to one of the gang and then more than once together with Wynonna calling them idiots.)

  
“So, when I call you ‘mom’ and ‘mama’, it’s real now?” Belle asks quietly. “You’re really my moms now?”

“We are, monkey,” Nicole tells her. “You’re a Haught, now. It’s official. There’s no getting rid of us.”

It’s Wynonna’s cackling that draws them out of their collective reverie. Because of course it’s Wynonna.

Wynonna, who’s raising a new bottle of Molson, and toasting, “To Haught Bologna!”

Everybody at the table laughs as Nicole shakes her head with a wide grin on her face. “Welcome to the club of Haught puns, Belle.”

And Belle grins back just as wide and happy, because what she says next, she says with pride. “I don’t think there’s anywhere else I’d rather be. Besides, I get to be a Haughtshot now.”

“You absolutely do, Belle. Absolutely.”

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> For those of you going to EHCon, feel free to poke at me on Twitter at [**@awol_newt**](http://www.twitter.com/awol_newt) because I will be there! I should be around and hopefully have data so communication that way can work. Hopefully. (Otherwise I'm screwed.)
> 
> Also, be sure to check out the amazing Fanfic Panel that's happening on Sunday, hosted by DarkWiccan with WrackWonder, BaggerHeda, DreadPirateBrown, and Bootsncatz. I think it's going to be some kind of wonderful.


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